‘You are not the thought police’: Top Tory Chris Philp weighs in on Allison Pearson row at police chiefs summit

For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Non-crime hate incidents should only be investigated by police where there is “a real risk of imminent criminality”, the shadow home secretary has said. This week the chairman of the National Police Chiefs’ Council Gavin Stephens said the incidents must be investigated so that “precursors to violence” are not missed. “I call on police forces to apply common sense and not waste time and resources looking at things unless there is criminality, or imminent risk of criminality.” open image in gallery Telegraph columnist Allison Pearson said she was ‘dumbfounded’ when police knocked on her door over a year-old deleted post online Debate over how the incidents are dealt with erupted after officers from Essex Police visited Telegraph columnist Allison Pearson to arrange an interview about a year-old post on X. open image in gallery Home Secretary Yvette Cooper unveiled a series of police reforms at an annual conference of the National Police Chiefs’ Council and Association of Police and Crime Commissioners The shadow cabinet member added: “I believe that it should be a defence to both misconduct and criminal proceedings if an officer can show that they materially followed their training or standard procedures in exercising police powers.